Reply #60: And I might add, ballerinas are far from weaklings!!

[Sparkly]

I understand what you're saying. There is SUCH an entrenched thing in our culture about being "MANLY' as a measure of courage and strength (with "manly" defined narrowly as devoid of ANYthing "feminine," also defined narrowly).

"Pink tutu" = "girly" = weak and cowardly.

Ballerinas are athletes with nerves of steel.

So are male dancers, many of whom are gay. These are strong, courageous people.

Yet much of America would ridicule them while considering "manly" a fat sweaty slouch in an armchair, drinking beer and cheering on young, athletic men playing sports, yelling and swearing with great rage about something stupid that rubbed him wrong....

That's the image of "masculine" that = "ballsy, tough, gutsy," etc. in our culture and like you, I can't stand it.

(I also think all of this was in HUGE play during the 2004 presidential election, by the way.)